The collision involving a mini-van occurred around 1:40 a.m., near the El Cerrito border in Richmond, when CHP officers saw a vehicle driving on its right-front rim—with no tire—traveling westbound on I-80.

They followed behind him when suddenly the driver appeared to lose to control, hit the center divider, bounced across the lanes over the guardrail, down the embankment landing on the Central off-ramp.